Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-04-22


gent sayings too, was next in order
The president of the Association Mr.
Peter Schenck, then made known in {
few we'll chosen remarks the objec
and intention of the Society in Civ
ing this first public reception. Twen
ty weeks ago the Society was organ
lied with a view to studying and
bringing more prominently into no
tice the history cf the church and hel
leaders. An allusion to the renewed
activity in the development of the
Church made by the President, put
the date of beginning only eve years
back. Here we beg leave to differ
with him. The date ought to be SCI
say, twenty-five years back-that is
at the time when the theological and
historical treasures of the Church,
locked up in the German, Scandina'
Wan and other foreign tongues, began
to be set forth at length in some
greater degree and fulness in the ma
tive English of this country. But
we agree with him still in this, that
in the last five years the advance has
been more marked, for it is; like the
growth of this country-the older il
gets the faster it grows. A few kind
ly words of welcome and gentle re.
minder that we were in the House OF
| God, as q reasonable check to that In.
sensste levity which some persons
appear to find it impossible to la y
aside anywhere in crowd, closed the
Presidents remarks.
Just here let US stop to PROFOUND
the query: Is there anything in the
mere fact of being in a crowd to incite
incipient insanity in any sort of mind!
There are boys who cannot go into a
crowd at fair, circus, spelling, sing
ing, corn-husking or muster day with
out going crazy; and girls who never
get into a public assembly, at church,
opera, Fourth of July, walk around,
or any place else, without falling into
state of insane giggling. And with
few OF them it sticks up to the pres
ent, and it may as long as their life
endures. Let the philosopher arise
and tell US why these boys are go.
Happily, so far as we observed, this
class, for whom the Presidents gen.
tie hint was intended, does not take
any interest in Luther or his memo
ry and was not represented,
We do not propose to go into de-
tailed account of our estimate OF the
merit of the respective addresses. The
solidity of the material presented, and
the general good style of its pre-
sentation, will be at once admitted by
every auditor. A few slips of the
tongue, which it would be hyper
critical to call into notice where the
general value and worth of all was Of
so high a grade, need not deter a
single member from going forward to
repeat, upon occasion, what has been
upon the whole, so successfully exc
cuted here and now.
Miss Birdie Miller was fluent, pre-
else, and at the close of the interest
ing presentation which she made
upon the "Childhood and School
Days Of Luther" to say the least OF
it was highly and creditabIy dramat-
ic. George Troutman rendered DR..
Krauth's glowing eulogy CT Luther
with good effect. Alb! what a tribute
that eulogy. Its thrilling close, like
the roll of swelling harmony of a
swee: song rising to its fullest as it
ceases, rings in the memory still:
-Four potentates ruled the mind of
Europe in the Reformation, the EN-
peror, Erasmus, the Pope and Luth-
er The Pope wanes, Erasmus is
little, the Emperor is nothing, but
Luther abides as q power
for all time. His image
casts itself upon the cur.
rent of ages, as the mountain mirrors
itself in the river that winds at its
foot-the mighty fixing itself immu
tably upon the changing"
1t will not be considered either by
any member of the Gotta Association
or by any intelligent listener to the
Grafton of Mr.. Harry KliDgier, an in
viduous distinction to pronounce il
the main effort of the evening. 1t
was good. 1t was very good. 1t
was credit to the orator and to the
Association. A good point made in
it was that refuting the charge that
the people called Lutherans worship
Luther. The aspersion cast upon
them that in their Luther worship
they believe and follow what he
taught, simply because he taught it.
was logically and positively denied
and disowned. The speaker portray
ed Luther as hero of faith, and in
glowing, 6tly chosen language show
ed that he deserved the praise award
ed; and yet no true Lutheran wor
ships him in any way, sense or man
ner, nor believes anything because be
has said it, He is what he is to those
who follow in his footsteps simply
because be followed in the footsteps
of our Saviour. Another nice histori
cal point was made in representing
the Lutheran Church in four stages
corresponding with the birth, baptism
confirmation and maturity of per.
son; these stages being attained al
the dates respectively: Oct. 81, 1911
(when the 95 Theses were nailed up)
April IS. 1921, (the appearance be
fore the Diet at Worms); June 25
1880, (Augsburg confession), and
Sept. 25, 1855, (the Religious Peace
of Augshurg) This presentation
while striking does not main
tain the true historical descent Of the
church of the Augsburg confession,
which was in the very truth born on
the day of Pentecost. AS the speaker
said, Luther brought nothing new in.
to the doctrines of the church. He
but restored what had been there be
fore
The music was very appropriate
and well executed. The Duets by
the Misses Grohman and Mr. FREQ
Klingler and Miss Loretta Miller be-
ing especially satisfactory. Bat no
body who does not know the original
words and melody of Elm Feste Burg
Ist Unser Gott," and who cannot Ell
! tor heart md souI into the rOlliD %